1From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 17 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Have you read certain Strictures upon Painters and Paintings in the Newspapers? What do you think of them? I am pleased with his gratitude to Copeley, but I believe he was not perfect Master of Copeleys Merit. There is a Portrait of Justice Dana in his Robebands and Tie Wigg of a Barrister at Law, now no doubt in possesion of his Descendants. There is a full Length Portrait of Governor Adams,...
2From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 19 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
Can you prescribe rules for painting, a perception? A reminiscens,? a judgment? a ratiocination? Do you think there will ever arise an original Genius who will invent an Art of painting a debate in a Boston Town Meeting, or an Argument at the Bar? It would not be a Wonder, equal to your Jennerian Inoculation! If Such a Phenominon Should appear, I have a Subject to propose to him. The local...
3From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 25 March 1817 (Adams Papers)
The great question was “Whether Writs of Assistants, were legal, or illegal; constitutional or unconstitutional”? “Writs of Assistants”! You will indignantly say. “What are Writs of Assistants”? “I understand no more about Writs of Assistants, than about ‘ The great question ’.” I believe you; and will endeavour to give you Some hints. When the British Ministry received from general Amherst...
4From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 4 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your pathetic Letter of the 2d. has filled my heart with Sympathy and Grief. Your Son, by all that I know, or have heard of him, would have been an ornament to Society. Your Sorrow at his loss must be exquisite. I can give you no better Advice for your Consolation, than to read your favourite Dr Barrow. It is the Lot of humanity! You are not alone! If I look back for Sixty years, what a long...
5From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 18 June 1817 (Adams Papers)
I return the letter of JQ, which you lent me. You know his is a painter. And which of Hogarths is more moral or more satirical? Have you adjusted your Bib & Tucker to visit the President? There is no other theme of conversation at present. It is kind in him at this pressing time to give the Nation something to talk about. His plain manners will please in general. Tranquility & prosperity to...
6From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 14 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
I fear I have not answered your letter of 20th of June. That of the 8th: of August, I certainly have not. I have been justly accused of Imbecility & Dotage for twenty years past. Yet I seem to be a Man of more consequence now, than I ever was before in my whole life. What a cloud of Reminiscences, has your last letter, exhailed in my old brain! Several of with whom I gazed through a telescope...
7From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 17 August 1817 (Adams Papers)
I fear I have not answered your letter of 20th. of June. That of the 8th. of August I certainly have not. I have been justly accused of Imbecillity and Dotage for Twenty Years past. Yet I Seem to be a Man of more consequence now, than I ever was before, in my whole Life. What a Cloud of Reminiscences, has your last Letter, exhailed in my old brain! Sewal, with whom I gazed through a Telescope...
8From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 9 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Oh! that I had Eyes and Fingers for a little Badinage! When you cannot keep your Chin above water, I advise you to apply to the Hospital for the Sane.—Vid Dr Rush passim, and a pritty thing in the North American Review, by young Mason—The great Docter Johnson and Rush agree that we are all a little cracked. This only a Few who can be denominted Sane, and those only quad hor—For these Mason has...
9From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 19 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 13th. has touched my feelings. Deeply infected with a dangerous distemper you ask my advice as a Physician. The Faculty sometimes cure their Patients by relating facetious Anecdotes. I could give you a hundred within my own Experience and little reading but your Malady is two inveterate to be cured by Jocularity. It must be treated Seriously. I know not the Facts. Has the...
10From John Adams to Benjamin Waterhouse, 25 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
It was not friendly in you to involve me in your domestic & family Controversies Major Pierce Butler told me that he made a voyage to England from S Carolina to ask his fathers consent to marry a Lady, whom he was determined to marry, whether his father consented, or not. And I believe you ask my advice with the same resolution I have seen Fanaticism in all its forms. the fanaticism of honour,...